Truly a teacher for others

Could a teacher love her profession so much, enough to risk her life for her students?

Without hesitation, 27-year-old Lorna Ibban Pulalon, once said she would die for her students.

And she did.

The Friday of Oct. 22, 2010 seemed like any ordinary day for the teachers and students of Talisayan Elementary School in Zamboanga city. The afternoon session had just begun and Lorna was busy teaching her grade two pupils inside their classroom. Suddenly, a man who brought the son of his landlord to school ran amok and went on a stabbing spree. The man was an ex-inmate.

He hit students and teachers that got in his way and came across the classroom of Lorna where he headed straight for his next victims. Without wasting a single moment, Lorna ran to her students to protect them from the attacker. To prevent them from getting hurt, she gestured for them to escape and run for their lives while she bore the brunt of his rage. Her helpless students wanted to rescue her but were scared and left with no choice but to leave her as she was being stabbed to death.

The culprit managed to escape the campus but was later on killed by the townsfolk of Talisayan. The tragedy, however, took the lives of one student, a grandfather -- and Lorna’s.

GOING THE EXTRA MILE

While they sorely miss the brave, selfless and dedicated teacher, her colleagues and students continue to recall the happy and inspiring memories they shared with Lorna.

Of all her best traits, Lorna is remembered most for her kindness, for going the extra mile for her students, and for using innovative strategies in her teaching.

“She was not strict. She used beautiful pictures and games to make our lessons, especially in Math more interesting and understandable. Most of all, she gave us food,” recalls Grade 3 students Rhizel Abong and Nurhama Sabdani.

One time, Lorna saw her student sleeping during the first class in the morning. She asked him about it and learned that the child wasn’t able to sleep the night before because he was hungry. He and his family had not been eating for two days. Right then and there, Lorna got her lunchbox and gave all her food to her student.

According to Lorna’s brother Police Officer 2 Alih Salip Pulalon, the particular incident encouraged her younger sister to bring extra food to share with her students every day. Whenever she could afford it, Lorna would also buy a half sack of rice and divide it among her students.

“Tuwing Christmas party sa eskuwelahan, hindi siya humihingi ng kontribusyon sa mga estudyante niya para pambili ng pagkain. Siya mismo ang nagdadala ng pagkain tulad ng chocolate cake at juice para sa mga ito. Kaya nang umalis siya sa paaralang iyon, nag-iyakan ang mga magulang ng mga estudyante at pilit siyang pinipigilang umalis,” shares PO2 Alih.

OBEDIENT DAUGHTER, HARDWORKING TEACHER

The ninth child in a brood of 10, Lorna wanted to become a nurse but sacrificed her own interest to follow her father’s wishes to pursue the teaching profession.

“Malambig na anak, mapagmahal, at higit sa lahat masunurin si Lorna. Ako ang nagsabing guro ang pasukin niyang propesyon dahil marami siyang batang matutulungan, matuturuang sumulat, magbasa, at magkaroon ng magandang asal. Pag nurse ang pinili mo, mawawalay ka sa amin at yung mga may sakit lamang ang matutulungan mo,” says Lorna’s father Shariff Basal Pulalon.

Eventually, Lorna fell in love with her profession. Every day, she would wake up at four in the morning and walk for hours to reach Camp Susana where she first taught.

Shariff adds that Lorna loved her job, her students and her family so much that she placed her plan to get married in the backseat several times. Whenever people asked her why she still would not settle down, Lorna would always say “Ang pag-aasawa ay makakahintay ‘yan, ngunit itong dalawang matanda (her parents), hindi ito makakahintay na makaranas man lang ng konting kaginhawaan, at saka hindi ko pa napapaayos ang bahay namin.”

She would have walked down the aisle in December of 2010.

A PERSON OF INTEGRITY

According to her colleagues, Lorna was also a person of integrity and stuck to her principles no matter the cost. When she was bribed by a candidate during a recent barangay poll, her simple reply was, “I cannot be bribed, I’m a teacher.”

Last year, the Civil Service Commission feted Lorna with a posthumous Dangal ng Bayan Award for her exemplary ethical behavior and selfless act of bravery during its Search for Outstanding Public Servants.

Her family truly appreciates the award and is thankful that Lorna was cited by no less than the national government for her heroic deed. However, no award could take away the pain of losing the breadwinner of the family.

“Nagpapasalamat kami sa tulong ng Civil Service sa award na ito pero kahit papaano masakit pa rin ang pagkawala ng aking anak, kasi siya lamang ang inaasahan namin sa hanapbuhay. At ngayon naghihirap kami ng husto dahil wala na siya at wala na ring tumutulong sa amin. Umaasa kami na mabigyan ng importansya ang pagkamatay ng aming anak at mabigyan man lang siya ng pension na puwedeng makatulong sa aming pamumuhay,” ends Shariff.

By RACHEL C. BARAWID
mb.com.ph

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